Former Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has informed investigating judge José Luis Calama in writing that the jewellery seized from his Madrid office in May was a gift from Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud dating from 2007. According to case records, the letter was received on 23 September 2026 at the Audiencia Nacional after the judge had asked Zapatero to submit relevant documents. In it, Zapatero refers to a state visit in Palacio de la Moncloa in June 2007, when he was presented with three more valuable sets as personal gifts. If there were any doubts, he asked the court to request formal confirmation from the relevant authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia.
On 24 September 2026, senior members of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party called for full clarification. Several leading members of the PSOE described conflicting accounts from the former prime minister’s circle as damaging to the party’s credibility and ethical standards. At the same time, they stressed the presumption of innocence and referred to the ongoing investigation.
In procedural terms, José Luis Calama ordered an expert examination of the seized items and set deadlines for further steps. The public prosecutor has not brought any new charges so far. Independent experts point out that gifts presented during official visits must, under current rules, either be added to the state inventory or properly registered. A key question is therefore whether, and why, some items were not recorded as state property.
The immediate occasion is Zapatero’s statement to the court. The jewellery was found during a search in May, ordered as part of an investigation already under way. The specific criminal or civil consequences that may follow remain unclear and depend on the findings of the Audiencia Nacional, any confirmations from Saudi Arabia and the results of the expert examination. Politically, the case is fuelling debate over transparency obligations for former prime ministers and internal party oversight. The opposition and parts of the governing party will be judged on how consistently they apply and enforce rules on public officials accepting, declaring and keeping gifts.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).